When to Use This Base64 Encoder

Our free Base64 encoder/decoder helps developers and IT professionals work with encoded data:

API Development & Debugging
Decode Base64 responses from APIs, encode request payloads, and debug authentication tokens like JWT and Basic Auth.
Embed Images in Code
Convert images to Base64 data URIs for embedding directly in HTML or CSS, reducing HTTP requests.
Configuration & Secrets
Encode credentials for config files, decode environment variables, and work with Kubernetes secrets.
Email & Data Transfer
Prepare binary attachments for email and encode data for safe transfer across text-only systems.
Learning & Education
Understand how Base64 encoding works, verify encoding implementations, and complete coursework assignments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Base64 encoding used for?: Base64 converts binary data to ASCII text, making it safe for transmission in text-based formats like JSON, XML, HTML, and email. It's commonly used for embedding images, API authentication, and data transfer.
Is my data secure when using this encoder?: Yes, 100% secure. All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser. Your data never leaves your device or gets sent to any server.
What's the difference between Base64 and URL-safe Base64?: Standard Base64 uses + and / characters, which have special meanings in URLs. URL-safe Base64 replaces these with - and _, making the output safe for URLs and filenames.
Why does Base64 make files larger?: Base64 represents 6 bits of data using 8-bit ASCII characters, increasing size by approximately 33%. This trade-off enables binary data to be safely transmitted as text.
Can I encode images and files?: Yes! You can drag and drop or select any file type to encode. Encoded images can be used as data URIs in HTML/CSS. When decoding, image previews are shown automatically.